From playlists to films, a neurologist explains that nostalgia improves mood, relieves anxiety and even influences the body
Remembering the past has never been so fashionable. In fact, we can say that this is one of the success ingredients of the series, shown by . Considered the phenomenon of nostalgia in streaming, as the story brings back the famous 80s, the script refers to customs, fashion and music from that time.
From movie remakes to playlists with hits from the 1980s and 2000s, it seems like everyone wants to revisit what they experienced (or not) and this isn’t just out of nostalgia. The search for affective references has a scientific explanation: remembering good times stimulates the brain in a positive way, bringing emotional comfort and even physical benefits.
“Nostalgia activates reward areas of the brain with the retrieval of autobiographical memories with a sense of belonging, stimulating emotional zones and memories, often with a feeling of gratification, comfort and pleasure”, explains Dr. Sergio Jordy, neurologist at Clínica Sinapse and Rede D’Or. In other words, remembering what marked a good phase in life is like offering a chemical gift to your own brain.
It is no coincidence that music is one of the main gateways to this nostalgic universe. Just play that song that has a special story for your body to react instantly. “There is a very important activation of memories and emotions experienced related to the time, people and the music itself, which can even generate reactions of goosebumps, tears, smiles, activating different areas of the brain, including areas linked to movement, even when the patient is still, with a feeling of comfort and belonging, with the release of neurotransmitters linked to emotion, pleasure and relaxation”.
What awakens the most nostalgia in people?
According to studies, the most searched for items today involve music, films, series and classic toys. Playlists with hits from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s are the most searched for on and on YouTube. Series such as , , “Um Maluco no Pedaço” and “Gilmore Girls” continue to be among the most watched on streaming platforms. In the fashion world, pieces such as cargo pants, oversized denim jackets and vintage sneakers returned to the streets with full force.
Furthermore, there is a growing wave of people collecting VHS tapes, vinyl records and analog cameras, looking for the tactile and emotional sensation that digital objects do not offer. Retro video games, such as the Super Nintendo and PlayStation 1, are also experiencing a renaissance among young people and adults who grew up with them.
This movement reflects a collective emotional need: in the midst of a fast-paced, technological and unpredictable world, revisiting the past has become a way of rescuing what is familiar and comforting. In other words, the past has become a safe haven and, apparently, a powerful medicine for the present.
When music plays its role: from dance to emotion
Recent research confirms that listening to music associated with personal memories activates brain regions linked to pleasure and memory, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. This reaction explains why many people feel instantly calmer and happier when listening to old hits, the brain, recognizing something predictable and familiar, experiences a sense of security. Studies show that this predictability is comforting precisely because the brain “knows how the story ends”, reducing anxiety.
In fact, this explains what also happens when we are children: who has never had the experience of watching their child watch the same cartoon or film several times? Knowing how it ends comforts and calms us and this seems to be instinctive on our part, but it is, in fact, a preservation mechanism.
It is important to remember that the benefits do not only occur in the emotional field. “These stimuli produce an effect of mental well-being and pleasure, which, in turn, brings physiological effects, reducing anxiety, heart rate and blood pressure, also activating inhibitory pathways that reduce painful stimuli”, explains the doctor.
This happens because, during the process, neurotransmitters such as dopamine, endorphins, serotonin and oxytocin are released, substances directly linked to the sensation of pleasure and relaxation.
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In search of feeling emotion and, at the same time, nostalgia, the column interviewed Brazilian tenor Felipe Menegat in the nostalgic center of São Paulo!
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
